5 Science Concepts You Should Review for a 36 on ACT Science

Shooting for a 36 on ACT Science can feel intimidating, but here's the good news: you don't need to be a future Nobel Prize winner to get there. The ACT – Science Reasoning section is less about memorizing every biology term and more about understanding a few core science concepts and applying them under time pressure.

Instead of trying to review all of science, you'll get more score gains by focusing on the concepts that appear again and again on ACT Science passages—no matter the topic. In this guide, we'll walk through five science concepts you should review if you want a realistic shot at a 36.

Along the way, you'll also see how SimpUTech's AI Tutor for ACT – Science Reasoning can turn these concepts into targeted, adaptive practice, so you're not just reading about them—you're applying them like you will on test day.

Concept 1: The Scientific Method and Experimental Design

Many ACT Science passages are built around experiments. To ace these, you need a strong grip on the scientific method and experimental design. Even if you don't remember every detail from your science classes, you should be comfortable with the basics.

Key ideas to review include:

• Independent vs. dependent variables – what's being changed and what's being measured.
• Control groups – the “baseline” used for comparison.
• Constants – factors that are kept the same across trials.
• Hypotheses – predictions about what will happen and why.

On ACT Science, questions might ask you to identify which variable is being changed, how an additional trial would affect the results, or whether a design flaw could invalidate a conclusion. If you can quickly label the parts of an experiment in your head, you'll grab these points with confidence.

Concept 2: Reading and Interpreting Graphs, Tables, and Charts

No surprise here: to score a 36 on ACT Science, you must be able to read visuals quickly and accurately. Graphs, tables, and charts are everywhere in this section, and the test expects you to extract information from them under serious time pressure.

Focus your review on how to interpret things like:

• Line graphs: trends over time or across conditions.
• Bar graphs: comparisons of categories or trials.
• Scatterplots: relationships between two variables.
• Data tables: scanning rows and columns efficiently.

Practice reading axes labels, units, and legends first, then use them to quickly locate the values questions ask about. High-scoring students don't try to memorize every number—they learn to jump directly to the relevant part of the visual.

Concept 3: Cause, Effect, and Correlation

Another big skill tested on ACT Science is understanding cause and effect—and not confusing it with simple correlation. Just because two things change together doesn't mean one caused the other.

On the test, you might see questions like:

• “Based on the data, what is the most likely cause of the change in temperature?”
• “Which of the following variables is most directly responsible for the increase in growth rate?”
• “According to the results, which variable is most strongly correlated with pressure?”

When you review practice passages, pay attention to whether the passage describes a variable as causing a change or simply varying along with something else. Getting this right helps you pick the answer that the data actually supports, not just the one that sounds logical.

Concept 4: Basic Chemistry and Physics Ideas That Keep Showing Up

The ACT doesn't expect you to be a chemistry or physics genius, but some basic ideas appear frequently. Reviewing them makes it easier to understand passages quickly and avoid confusion.

Helpful chemistry concepts to brush up on:

• Acids, bases, and pH
• States of matter (solid, liquid, gas)
• Concentration and dilution
• Temperature and reaction rate

Helpful physics ideas to remember:

• Basic motion (speed, velocity, acceleration)
• Forces and Newton's laws at a conceptual level
• Energy transfer (potential vs. kinetic energy)
• Density and buoyancy

You rarely need to do heavy calculations, but understanding how these ideas behave helps you quickly eliminate answer choices that contradict basic science.

Concept 5: Conflicting Viewpoints and Scientific Reasoning

The Conflicting Viewpoints passages on ACT Science can be tricky, especially when multiple scientists or students present different explanations for the same phenomenon. To score at the top level, you need to keep each viewpoint straight and understand how they relate to one another.

When you practice these passages, focus on:

• Summarizing each viewpoint in a short phrase (e.g., Scientist 1: “temperature causes X”; Scientist 2: “pressure causes X”).
• Noting where they agree and where they disagree.
• Identifying which data or assumptions each viewpoint relies on.

Most questions in these passages don't require outside knowledge; they ask, “According to Scientist 2…” or “Which statement would Scientist 1 most likely support?” If you've clearly labeled each viewpoint in your mind, these become fast points toward your 36.

How to Turn These Concepts into a 36-Worthy Study Plan

Reviewing concepts is a start, but a top score comes from consistent, targeted practice. Here's a simple way to structure your ACT Science prep around these five concepts:

1. Pick 2–3 practice passages focused on experiments and data interpretation.
2. For each passage, identify the experimental design, variables, and main trend in the graphs or tables before answering questions.
3. When you miss a question, ask yourself, “Which concept did I slip up on—design, visuals, cause/effect, background science, or viewpoints?”
4. Keep a short “ACT Science concept log” where you track recurring weaknesses.
5. Use targeted practice to hit those weak spots again instead of just taking endless full sections.

This kind of intentional practice is exactly what separates a good score from a 36 on ACT Science.

How SimpUTech’s ACT Science AI Tutor Helps You Practice Smarter

You can absolutely study on your own—but if you want to make your prep more efficient, SimpUTech's AI Tutor for ACT – Science Reasoning can accelerate your progress.

The AI tutor can help you:

• Practice ACT-style passages that emphasize these five high-impact science concepts.
• Get step-by-step explanations that show exactly how to read each graph, table, or experimental setup.
• Focus on your weak spots with adaptive question sets instead of random drills.
• Build confidence with realistic timing and targeted review sessions.

Instead of wasting time wondering what to review next, you'll have a guided path toward a higher ACT Science score.